It didn’t matter if she didn’t feel the same way. Being friends was something he could live with. It was better than never seeing her again.
She was about to decide where she was going to live and he wanted Bozeman to be on the top of her list. Ashley liked working with Logan and she probably knew most of the staff at the Chronicle. It would be easy to fit in, to build a new life with or without him.
He glanced at the clock on his dashboard. Her dad’s flight left about the same time as hers. They’d planned on being at the airport by two o’clock at the latest. He was cutting it fine if he wanted to see her before she walked through security.
He pulled into the parking lot and ran toward the terminal building. Apart from a couple of gift shops and cafés, there wasn’t a lot to do in the downstairs area.
They weren’t on the escalator, so he raced into the nearest gift shop. A man wearing a Montana Grizzly Bear’s sweatshirt was standing at the check-out counter. “Trevor?”
The man turned around and smiled. “I didn’t expect to see you.”
“I wasn’t going to come, but I changed my mind. Has Ashley already left?”
“No. She went to the other souvenir shop to buy something for Bonnie.”
“Thanks.” Matthew ran out of the store, dodging the other passengers. By the time he made it through the crowd, Ashley was heading toward him with her carry-on in one hand and two big bags in the other.
“Matthew? What are you doing here?”
His heart pounded. “I couldn’t let you leave without telling you I love you. It doesn’t matter if you don’t feel the same way. We could be friends, see what happens.” He took a deep breath and plowed through the words he wanted to tell her. “I’ve missed you. If it doesn’t work out, then at least we’ve tried.”
Ashley’s mouth dropped open. “I don’t know what to say.”
It wasn’t the response he was hoping for, but he wasn’t going to let her surprise worry him. “Bozeman is the perfect place to live. We have enough horses to keep you happy for the rest of your life. Erin and Tess are here. Sally said you could volunteer at the animal shelter if you want to be surrounded by more animals. You like skiing, and Big Sky is one of the best resorts in America. TheBozeman Chronicleisn’tThe Washington Post, but you’d be working with Logan. There are enough criminals in Bozeman to keep life interesting and—”
Ashley rushed forward and kissed him. It wasn’t the kind of kiss you planted on a friend. It was soft and sexy and so damn good that his knees nearly buckled.
When she stepped away, they were both breathless.
“I love you too, Matthew. Bozeman is a wonderful place to live, but I don’t know if it’s enough.”
He clenched his jaw, holding back the words that would only make everything worse. Coming to the airport was the worst thing he could have done. Why would Ashley live in Bozeman when everything she’d ever wanted was thousands of miles away?
He handed her the bags that had fallen to the floor. “Whatdoyou want?”
Her eyes filled with tears. “I don’t know anymore.”
Matthew wiped his own face and cleared his throat. “I hope you figure it out. Have a safe flight home.” And before she could say anything, he left the airport.
If he thought he’d felt miserable the last time she’d left, it was nothing compared to the gut-wrenching loss he felt now. Deep down, he had a feeling he wouldn’t see her again. That hurt almost as much as knowing she loved him but wasn’t prepared to do anything about it.
